Arrival in Cancun:
After passing through immigration (can be a long wait on weekends), you collect your bags and proceed to customs. You press a "stop light" button - if green, you go on, if red, they search your luggage (i.e., purely random).
As soon as you get through customs, be prepared for an a lot of people trying to carry your luggage, trying to get you to take their shuttle bus, etc. Many are offering a "free shuttle" which is a time-share pitch in disguise. Palace stays via members include transfers, so ignore all of this and look for or ask for "Palace Resorts." Their white shuttle vans are usually off to the right under the white canopies as you exit the airport. Ask anyone and they will most likely point you in that direction. Don't believe anyone that tells you the Palace shuttles are not there, are delayed, and so on.
Arrival at hotel:
If before 4 PM check-in, have a carry-on bag with beach wear in case you can't get into your room right away. Ask for a change room at the front desk (at the gym?).
After a short stop at the front desk where you provide your credit card for incidentals and you get your keys, you will be brought to the "guest services" desk. They provide general info. on the hotel, the tours, etc. And...
It is at this time guest services usually bring up the invitation to their latest "promotion," which is essentially their "1.5 hour" (but always goes 3 hours) time-share kind of thing for a Palace Resort membership. The actual presentation takes place at certain hotels (Moon, Aventura) and they provide taxi fare there and back if not staying at those resorts. You will be offered something in compensation to entice you to go - so decide if it's worth 2-3 hours of your vacation in return for $ or whatever they offer (could be spa credits, tour credits, it varies over the years). If you politely decline, they will likely leave you alone but may turn on the puppy dog eyes of disappointment, and periodically ask you to reconsider the next few days of your stay. To avoid some of the initial hassle, it may be better to say "we aren't sure right now, we will think about it..." to get on your way faster.
Have an idea of what tours you want to book and spa days/times before your arrival so you can book these at check-in when you have their undivided attention. Otherwise you may make several return trips to the booking desk to see if not busy (i.e., that turns in to a hassle). Plus, spa slots and tours fill up so it is best to book these the day of check-in or very soon after.
Once done with guest services trying to sign you up for a sales pitch day, the rest of the trip is sun, food, and fun. Don't judge the remainder of your palace experience by either the push to get you to go to the sales pitch, or the sales pitch itself (if you go) as that is 1% of the Palace resort experience. The remainder of your experience should consist of outstanding staff willing to make your stay excellent - which for most of us it is.
During Your Stay:
Pool Towels - I believe they have done away with towel cards and instead now only ask for you room number when you get towels for the beach or pool. Crossing off your name upon towel return always seems to be a non-issue, so this is not a theft deterrent but rather a means to get you to take your own towel back to the towel booth rather than needing an employee to gather up the hundreds of towels which would otherwise be scattered around the beach and pool.
Ocean swimming. If the water is calm, enjoy the ocean as it can be rough and unswimmable for days at a time. It is not uncommon to have red flag days for a full week along the hotel zone in the winter.
Palace Resort Hop. Check out the other palace resorts by going on day trip visits - your wrist band essentially allows you to use any Palace Resort as if you are staying there (check out towels, dining, etc.). It's a good idea to get a map from guest services as soon as you arrive at the larger hotels to get your bearings (especially the Moon and Aventura, which are huge). Moon Palace is great for the huge pool, but if you are without kids it's not much different than the Aventura/Spa Palace. To change use the gym which has lockers and showers available (ask for a key at the gym desk). Although the food tends to be the same throughout all the Cancun area resorts, there may be a few different places to dine when day tripping away from your hotel to consider (ex: Cancun Palace Japanese has hibachi show tables - which are not at the Beach or Sun Palace).
Some items to pack:
- Lots of sun screen and some after-sun lotion. Sun lotion is ridiculously expensive at the hotel.
- Biodegradable sun screen to save the reef. This does not kill the coral, and any eco park (Xel-Ha, etc) will only allow this kind. Smartsheild is one example (can buy on-line).
- Beach/Pool bag, or buy one in palace gift shop (reasonably priced)
- Daypack for day tours to Mayan ruins (holds water, etc.) and other hotels (for extra clothes/swimsuit)
- Cheap ponchos for thunderstorms at in-land Mayan ruin tours ($1 @ Walmart) Mid-day downpours are very common despite clear blue sky's in the morning. This results in flooded areas that you may have to walk through, so your shoes can get soaked as well.
- Tips. Lots of single $'s or $5 bills if you care to tip your room cleaner, room service, etc. Although Palace stays do not require tipping, it is appreciated (more on this later). Please do tip your tour guides as this is their main (or only) source of income - and they typically do a great job.
- Snorkel T-shirt or rash guard to avoid back sunburns if doing a lot of snorkeling.
- Snorkel gear. Although Cancun is not a prime snorkel destination (too much sand), several areas of the Yucatan are great with the reef, cenotes, and some interesting ocean inlets (Yal-Ku lagoon). Because of this I always bring my own snorkel gear since we go on our own rather that via tours. Cozumel Palace has gear to check out daily for use on the property.
Cancun Hotel zone bus is (was?) 60 pesos per ride. Get pesos at hotel ATM, or use US dollars but you pay more with USD.
A cheap way to travel up and down the coast is by Bus. To Puerto Morelos from downtown Cancun is 180 pesos (about $1.60 US) (as of a few years ago), whereas a taxi can be significant. Major bus stop in Playa Del Carmen. Buses have toilet, TV, and are decent. From hotel zone you need to ride the city bus into town, then connect there. This can be daunting for the non-adventurous types.
Other option it to travel by Collectivos (cheap but a bit more work) or a Taxi (can be expensive). I've used Collectivos many times. If at the Playacar Palace, its a few block walk to the transfer point which goes either North to Cancun, or South to Tulum.
With decent and reasonable public transportation, we have only rented a car a few times for a day or two at a time. No issues, and we will rent again as needed to go to a location less accessible by bus.
Day Trips: Interesting 1/2 or full day trips abound. The resort can book almost anything. The following list is (mostly) of things we have done on our own by public transport or rental car.
Akumal. Akumal is 20 minutes south of Aventura and has Yal-Kul lagoon (very nice snorkeling) and the bay itself is good for seeing turtles and the "wall" of fish. It is possible to do both on your own if you have snorkel gear, but it is a lengthy swim to reef in bay (guides offer to take you in a wooden boat). Yal Kul is easy to do, but must be an ok swimmer as you are in over your head from the start.
Snorkeling. Lots of other snorkeling options exist, and the most unique are the cenotes of the Yucatan. Cenotes are freshwater sinkholes with few or no fish, interesting features, and clear water. Most of the eco parks have some, plus many are single rustic locations with boardwalks leading to the water for a token entrance fee. The last cenote we visited was Gran Cenote, considered one of the best. We were not disappointed. Just south of Aukumal is Hidden Worlds Cave Snorkel/Dive site - not for the claustrophobic as 1/2 of the guided tour is in an underground river with some tight spots. However, this is probably the most incredible snorkeling I've ever done.
Playa Del Carmen for beach and/or shopping (free bus from southern hotels). Spend some time (and lunch and/or dinner) at Playacar Palace.
Spa. If you are at a palace resort that does not have a large spa, you can book some treatments at one of the resorts with a large spa (Aventura, Playacar, etc.). These can be lavish and include the free hydrotherapy circuit (an hour doing the sauna/steam/hot pool circuit).
Cozumel. Fun island, scenic and wild east shore, renowned scuba (and best ocean snorkeling of the Yucatan ), and possible to visit the Cozumel Palace to snorkel off the hotel (free gear to check out) and dine.